Jacinda Ardern's new Cabinet revealed, Grant Robertson named as Deputy PM

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Grant Robertson has been named as deputy Prime Minister and Andrew Little as Health Minister.

And after last term's KiwiBuild fiasco, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern demoted Phil Twyford - who will be a minister outside Cabinet, with the disarmament portfolio. Jenny Salesa has also been dropped from Cabinet and the executive.

Other new roles of note include Nanaia Mahuta in Foreign Affairs, the first woman to hold the role in New Zealand's history, Chris Hipkins in a new role as Minister for Covid-19 Response, and newcomer Ayesha Verrall being elevated straight into Cabinet.

Ardern revealed that Robertson will also keep the Finance portfolio and to be given Infrastructure so he can oversee the roll out of the $12 billion NZ upgrade programme and the $3 billion shovel-ready fund.

Robertson said it was a "true honour" to be selected for the job, which involves filling in for the Prime Minister when she's not around.

Asked about filling the role that Winston Peters had, Robertson said: "I'm not stepping in his shoes. I'm going to do this my way."

He said he would have been happy for Kelvin Davis to be Deputy PM if Davis had wanted the role - but he didn't.

Davis said he supported the Ardern-Robertson combo.

"I think Jacinda and Grant are the dream team. They will work fantastically together and they have my full support."

Ardern said the Covid economic recovery was a top priority in choosing Cabinet roles.

Joining Robertson in the recovery team are Stuart Nash with Economic and Regional Development, Forestry, Small Business and Tourism, Megan Woods with Housing, Energy and Resources (ensuring renewable energy plays a central role in the recovery), and Research, Science and Innovation, David Parker with Environment (including RMA reform), Revenue and new portfolio of Oceans and Fisheries, and Damien O'Connor with Trade and Export Growth and Agriculture.

The other top priority, Ardern said, was the Covid-19 health response.

Chris Hipkins will be Minister for Covid-19 Response, which will include many facets including testing, managed isolation, and border management. He will keep Education, Public Service and his role as Leader of the House.

Focus Live: Health Ministers discuss their new positions

Andrew Little, Minister of health and Chris Hipkins Minister for Covid-19 Response talk to the media. ...

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NOW PLAYING • Focus Live: Health Ministers discuss their new positions

Andrew Little, Minister of health and Chris Hipkins Minister for Covid-19 Response talk to the media. ...

Hipkins will work with public agencies including MBIE, Health and Transport to combat Covid-19, and Ardern said Sir Brian Roche had recommended a single minister to deal with the issues.

Little will be in charge of the health sector reforms, and be assisted by Associate Health Ministers including Peeni Henare, who will also be Defence Minister.

Henare moves into Cabinet as does newcomer Ayesha Verrall, who will be Associate Health Minister, Minister for Seniors and Minister for Food Safety.

Aupito William Sio, with Associate Health, will be responsible for Pasifika health.

Ardern said the global pandemic meant the "world is in a situation we have never seen before", with Europe being hit hard with Covid infections.

"The challenge of Covid-19 will be with us for many many months to come."

There are seven new ministers in Cabinet.

How Ardern decided on her top team

The new executive will be sworn in on Friday, which will be followed by Cabinet's first meeting.

"Much of what we're focused on is making sure we've got our economic recovery hastened," Ardern said.

If ministers don't deliver, they will be shown the door, Ardern said.

"Exciting," is how she described the reshuffle in one word.

There are five Maori Cabinet Ministers, two Maori Ministers outside Cabinet, and one Maori under-secretary.

Kelvin Davis remains the party's deputy leader after ruling himself out of the running for the Deputy PM spot.

"We're very happy with the level of [Maori] representation we have now," Davis said.

"This Government has the interests of Maoridom at heart."

There are five Maori Cabinet Ministers, two Maori Ministers outside Cabinet, and one Maori under-secretary. Photo / Audrey Young

Ardern said Mahuta in Foreign Affairs was a "natural decision" given her previous Associate Trade role.

"She is someone who builds fantastic relationships."

Mahuta will bring different strengths to Foreign Affairs than Winston Peters did, and Ardern added that she will work closely with Mahuta in that space, as will O'Connor as Trade Minister and Rino Tirikatene as Trade Under-secretary.

Mahuta said she was privileged to have Foreign Affairs. "As a small country, we need to develop our relationships, [and] remain committed to a multilateral rules-based system."

She said Winston Peters had made a "huge contribution" with a sharp focus on the importance of building relationships.

She wouldn't be drawn on China's influence in the Pacific, adding that she was "still getting my feet under the table".

New Zealand's interests will be first and foremost, she said.

On Kiwis being deported from Australia, which Ardern has pushed back strongly on, Mahuta said she would discuss the next steps with Ardern.

Ardern said Twyford still had something to offer, but he had not met expectations in housing.

Ardern said Clark was now "better matched" to his skill set, including growing the digital economy.

Jenny Salesa has been dropped from the executive, and she will be nominated as Assistant Speaker. Adrian Rurawhe will be nominated as Deputy Speaker.

The majority of those in Cabinet have ministerial experience, such as Willie Jackson and Peeni Henare.

Including Allan and Verrall in Cabinet was a sign of the talent available that it would be wrong to exclude them, Ardern said. It was not without precedent - Margaret Wilson and Steven Joyce were also brought straight into Cabinet.

She said Meka Whaitiri had made an enormous effort to make amends following the alleged assault incident in 2018.

Whaitiri said she was "absolutely honoured to get a call-back but I'm under no illusions about the enormous scrutiny".

New Police Minister Poto Williams had experience particularly in the family and sexual violence space.

Ardern said she will later outline the Government's priorities before Christmas, but she has already said the flexi-wage and small business loan scheme will be prioritised.

She said Kieran McAnulty would be chief whip and will have a huge job given the size of the caucus, adding that he was a "fantastic" team player who will likely be a minister at a later date.

She said every MP generally wants to be part of the executive, but McAnulty was happy to play whatever role that was asked of him in the best interests of the party.

"Within this lineup, I'm playing to people's strengths," she said.

"This is a Cabinet and an executive that is based on merit but also happens to be incredibly diverse."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is announcing her Cabinet line-up today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Peeni Henare said he wasn't disappointed not to be Health Minister but was happy to have Associate Health.

He said he was strongly associated with the Defence Force and had many family ties to defence.

He acknowledged his predecessor Ron Mark, but he would bring a "Labour focus" to the Defence portfolio.

He said he would be working to address the "institutional racism" throughout the health system.

Kiri Allan said it had been a "whirlwind" few weeks and said she didn't know why she had been elevated into Cabinet ahead of others.

She acknowledged her predecessor in Conservation Eugenie Sage, adding that she had been a strong environmental advocate. The portfolio also included building relationships between Maori and conservationists.

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Ardern has previously said she expected the deputy leader to be the Deputy PM, but this morning she said there was no reason why different people couldn't hold each role.

Davis said he got into politics to be the MP for Te Tai Tokerau and to improve outcomes for Māori.

He added he wanted to continue as deputy leader and mentor the large Labour caucus.

He appeared to say that he has been given hefty ministerial portfolios, but didn't say what they were.

"I just want to really be able to focus on my new roles and I'm very excited and looking forward to them."

Yesterday Ardern said Covid-19 was top of her mind when deciding Cabinet positions.

"It is a tricky virus and it is only swelling once more. That's all the more reason for us to continue a very concerted effort here," Ardern said.

The full list

Cabinet ministers

1) Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern

• Prime Minister
• Minister for National Security and Intelligence

• Minister for Child Poverty Reduction
• Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services
• Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

2) Hon Grant Robertson

• Deputy Prime Minister
• Minister of Finance
• Minister for Infrastructure
• Minister for Racing
• Minister for Sport and Recreation

3) Hon Kelvin Davis

• Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
• Minister for Children
• Minister of Corrections

• Associate Minister of Education (Māori Education)

4) Hon Dr Megan Woods

• Minister of Housing
• Minister of Energy and Resources
• Minister of Research, Science and Innovation

• Associate Minister of Finance

5) Hon Chris Hipkins

• Minister for Covid-19 Response
• Minister of Education
• Minister for the Public Service

• Leader of the House

6) Hon Carmel Sepuloni

• Minister for Social Development and Employment
• Minister for ACC
• Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
• Minister for Disability Issues

7) Hon Andrew Little

• Minister of Health
• Minister Responsible for the GCSB
• Minister Responsible for the NZSIS
• Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

• Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry

8) Hon David Parker

• Attorney-General
• Minister for the Environment
• Minister for Oceans and Fisheries
• Minister of Revenue

• Associate Minister of Finance

9) Hon Nanaia Mahuta

• Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Minister of Local Government

• Associate Minister for Māori Development

10) Hon Poto Williams

• Minister for Building and Construction
• Minister of Police

• Associate Minister for Children
• Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)

11) Hon Damien O'Connor

• Minister of Agriculture
• Minister for Biosecurity
• Minister for Land Information
• Minister for Rural Communities
• Minister for Trade and Export Growth

12) Hon Stuart Nash

• Minister for Economic and Regional Development
• Minister of Forestry
• Minister for Small Business
• Minister of Tourism

13) Hon Kris Faafoi

• Minister of Justice
• Minister for Broadcasting and Media
• Minister of Immigration

14) Hon Peeni Henare

• Minister of Defence
• Minister for Whānau Ora

• Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health)
• Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)
• Associate Minister of Tourism

15) Hon Willie Jackson

• Minister for Māori Development

• Associate Minister for ACC
• Associate Minister of Justice

16) Jan Tinetti

• Minister of Internal Affairs
• Minister for Women

• Associate Minister of Education

17) Michael Wood

• Minister of Transport
• Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety

• Deputy Leader of the House

18) Kiri Allan

• Minister of Conservation
• Minister for Emergency Management

• Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
• Associate Minister for the Environment

19) Hon Dr David Clark

• Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
• Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications
• Minister for State-Owned Enterprises
• Minister of Statistics

• Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission

20) Ayesha Verrall

• Minister for Food Safety
• Minister for Seniors

• Associate Minister of Health
• Associate Minister of Research, Science and Innovation

Ministers outside Cabinet

Hon Aupito William Sio

• Minister for Courts
• Minister for Pacific Peoples

• Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Associate Minister of Education (Pacific Peoples)
• Associate Minister of Justice
• Associate Minister of Health (Pacific Peoples)

Hon Meka Whaitiri

• Minister of Customs
• Minister for Veterans

• Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare)
• Associate Minister of Statistics

Hon Phil Twyford

• Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
• Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth

Priyanca Radhakrishnan

• Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
• Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities
• Minister for Youth

• Associate Minister for Social
• Development and Employment

Co-operation agreement ministers

Marama Davidson

• Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence

• Associate Minister of Housing (Homelessness)

Hon James Shaw

• Minister of Climate Change

• Associate Minister for the Environment (Biodiversity)

Parliamentary under-secretaries

Rino Tirikatene MP

• Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries
Minister for Trade and Export Growth (Māori Trade)

Deborah Russell MP

• Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Revenue